The subject invention relates to an apparatus for verification of an identification card. The identification card contains an image of an object or other entity to be identified on a first portion of the card in human recognizable form, and a coded representation of an encrypted signal comprising a representation of the image on a second portion of the card. Such a card is disclosed and claimed in the above mentioned, commonly assigned U.S. patent application.
The problem of proving the identity, status or characteristics of a person or other object or entity is ancient. Both history and fiction are full of tales of passwords, tokens, signet rings, etc. intended to prove identity, and the consequences which followed from their loss. In more recent times highly sophisticated instruments which measure fingerprints, voice prints, retinal patterns and the like to identify individuals have been developed. While very useful where a high degree of security is required the expense, complexity, and need for such systems to access a database of characteristics of persons to be recognized, and the need to secure and continually update this database has limited such systems to applications such as controlling access to extremely sensitive areas.
Thus, the most common form for proving the identity of a person is the identification card. Typically, such an identification card will include information about the identity, status or characteristics of the person authorized to process the card, and may include some means, such as a seal, to reduce the possibility of forgery. Frequently, it will be the case that verification of such an identification card will be done at a remote location under difficult circumstances where the person who wishes to validate an identification card, must remain alert and should not be distracted by the validation process. For example, a police officer who has stopped a suspicious motorist should be able to validate an identification card while keeping his or her attention focused on the motorist.
Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide an apparatus for verification of an identification card in a simple and convenient manner.